PARENT & COORDINATOR S HANDBOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS Revised July 5, 2016

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1 PARENT&COORDINATOR SHANDBOOKTABLEOFCONTENTS RevisedJuly5,2016 ClubContactInformation SeasonalYear RegisteringPlayers Fees PlayerObligations LFCRefundPolicy Team/TransfersLimit MedicalRelease Uniforms TeamRostersandPlayerCards CoachesandCoordinatorCards TeamFinances GameSchedule Tournaments KYSAStateCup/PresidentCup Non-sanctionedTeams Coaches GuidelinesforTravelReimbursement Referees RefereeFeeInformation RedCards Fields Matches/Practice FieldandRefereeAssignments PracticeFields Coaches FirstAidandEmergencyProcedures ConcussionPolicy SevereWeatherPolicy TeamTasks SoccerGivesBack Insurance Communications SponsorsandFundraising CommitmentandTeamOperation Coordinator snotebook ImportantWebsites Parents CodeofConduct NutritionalSupplementPolicies TeamInformationForm Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 3 Page 3 Page 4 Page 4 Page 5 Page 5 Page 6 Page 6 Page 7 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page10 Page10 Page12 Page12 Page13 Page14 Page14 Page15 Page15 Page16 Page16 Page16 Page17 Page18 Page19 Page19 Page19 Page20 Page20 Page21 Page22 Page23 Page24 1

2 CLUBCONTACTINFORMATION POSITION OFFICER PHONE Director,LexingtonFC MarkBerginski (859) CoachingDirector ParvizZartoshty (859) (c) (859) (e) (859) (d) Secretary JeanRoberts (859) Treasurer JonathanNorris (859) CoordinatorDirector MikeCasey (859) Girls Director MarkPoage (859) Boys Director JohnO'Hara (859) At-LargeDirector KenGayheart (859) At-LargeDirector RileyKirn (859) At-LargeDirector (859) LYSADirectorofFields FieldAssignor CatherineCarrico (859) RefereeAssignor TonySamons (859) LFCAdministrator DebbieVogel (859) SeasonalYear The United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) seasonal year is September 1 through August 31. Under 9 through Under 14 teams, mixed and girls, play a fall season and a spring season. Older mixed and girls Under 15 throughunder19playaspringseasononly. Generally, our fall season begins mid-august with teams usually completingtheirschedulebymid-november. Winter training for all teams is now part of your registration costs. Each team shall have five (5) training sessions each in January and February. The cost of these training sessions is part of the coach pay. However, the team is responsibleforthecostofthefacility. The spring season can begin as early as November for many of our teams, and will begin by March for all teams. Except for those teams that win State Cup or President s Cup, the season ends by the first week of June. TryoutsforthenextseasonareheldinearlyJune. The actual length and starting dates for each individual team will be set by the coaches depending on what league the team plays in and what tournaments youattend. 2

3 RegisteringPlayers CompletetheLexingtonFCRegistrationForm CompleteanotarizedMedicalReleaseForm PaytheRegistrationFee Obtainabirthcertificateforallplayers All forms are available from the Administrator or online. The Lexington FC Registration Form, along with the fee, will be due at dates and times that are specified when tryouts take place and, for U9-14, will cover both seasons in which the team is playing. U15-19 teams will register and pay following tryouts for the spring season only. Registrations can be completed online and credit cardsareaccepted. Fees The yearly registration fees for the Lexington FC teams have been combined with the new uniform costs for the year. They are as follows: U9 Academy - $900, U10 through U12 - $1000; U13 through U ;U15throughU18-$750. PlayerObligation Once a player completes the tryout process and registers with LFC, the player becomes bound to Lexington FC for the entire year. The player may not transfer to another club/team unless approved by Lexington FC as specified in thebelow. Any U9-14 select player rostered to a team for the fall season must remain with that team for the entire fall season unless they request permission to transfer by completing a Transfer Form and obtaining a signature from the releasing club. Any player wishing to transfer in the fall must complete the Transfer Form and submit it to the state office prior to August 1 of the upcoming seasonal year. No transfers will be approved on or after August 1 for the fall seasonunlessitiswithinthesameclubandisapprovedbyaclubadministrator. Anyone wishing to transfer after the fall season must request permission using the Player Transfer Form and must obtain permission by Lexington FC. If Lexington FC approves the transfer, the Director will sign the Player Transfer Form. Prior to approving any transfer, the player will be required to pay all outstanding sums owed to the team. The paperwork MUST be received in the stateofficebetweennovember1andjanuary15. 3

4 Any player wishing to transfer after January 15 and during the spring season to another club must request, and obtain, permission as stated above. A transfer fee of $200 must accompany the form, made payable to Kentucky Youth Soccer. Any player, regardless of age group, wishing to transfer at any time may be bound to their current team until all appropriate fees have been paid to their currentclub. Any U15 and above select player registered to a club for the current seasonal year must remain with that club for the entire winter/spring season unless they fill out the Transfer Form and obtain a club-approved signature. This must be submitted to the state office between November 1 and January 15. No transfers will be approved after January 15 unless accompanied by a $200 transferfee. LexingtonFCRefundPolicy 1. Consistent with the policy established by LYSA, there is no right to a refundforanyportionoftheregistrationfeespaidbyoronbehalfofanyplayer. 2. Upon application to the Director of Lexington FC, and at the sole discretion of the Director of Lexington FC, a partial refund may be provided where the player has sustained injuries or experienced illness of sufficient severity to preclude him/her from playing for a season, as documented by a physician. 3. Any application for a partial refund must be made prior to the first game of theseason. Norefundswillbeprovidedfollowingthefirstgameoftheseason. 4. An administrative fee of $75.00 shall be subtracted from any partial refund thedirectoroflexingtonf.c.determinesshouldbepaid. 5. Under no circumstances shall refunds be authorized by any person other thanthedirectoroflexingtonfc. 6. Appeals with regards to the Director s denial of a partial refund must be made to the Executive Committee of the Lexington FC within seven days of the decision. Team/TransfersLimit 4

5 Teams are limited to a total of five transferred players per seasonal year if they wish to be eligible to participate in the US Youth Soccer National ChampionshipandPresident'sCupcompetitions. An unlimited number of unregistered players may be added to a team roster (to a maximum roster of 22 for U13 and above) in that seasonal year. Adding a recreational player to a roster is permitted between seasons (fall and spring being considered separate recreational seasons). A player who played for a recreational season in the fall and has registered to play on that same team for the spring season may be added to a competitive team roster provided the LYSA OfficeisnotifiedinwritingnolaterthenDecember31 st. MedicalRelease The Medical Release is required only once during the seasonal year. However, if a team completes medical releases in the fall, the coordinator should be mindful of any new players added in the spring who would need to complete the forms. Medical Release forms are kept by the coordinator, preferably in a notebook containing other team information, and should be in the coordinator s possessionatallgames. TheMedicalReleasemustbenotarized. Two copies of each player s birth certificate and proof of legal residency for foreign players should be secured. One copy is sent to LYSA Registrar (if the player has not previously played in the Lexington FC or the LYSA Select or Recreational Leagues) and the other copy must be placed in the Coordinator s notebook. Uniforms The Executive Committee of the Lexington FC selects uniforms. They are important to the Club as they permit instant recognition of our players and teams. Assuch,itisvitalthateveryteamfollowouruniformrules. Each player must wear the Lexington FC club uniform. officialuniformpolicystates: Lexington FC s AnyteamthatwearsuniformsorotherapparelwiththeLexingtonFC nameand/orlogothathasnotbeenapprovedbythelexingtonfc ExecutiveCommitteeissubjecttoasanctionsetbytheCommittee." This policy applies to practice and warm-up apparel as well. Any clothing with the Lexington FC logo must be approved by the Executive Committee. You must submit all requests for use of the Lexington FC logo to the Committee prior totheteamwearingit. 5

6 For year, our uniform colors are white and navy. The uniforms will be changing for the season, and our new colors will be navy and white. The Executive Committee will advise if there will be a third color kit available to State Cup winning teams. Players (parents) are instructed, upon team selection, to go to the approved vendor for uniform sizing if this should be necessary. Starting next season, the uniform kit will be comprised of two shirts, twopairsofshorts,apracticeshirtandtwopairsofsocks. Uniform numbering is handled by the team s Coordinator. A number is required on the back of the jersey. Players who remain on a team are allowed to keep their current numbers. Those players who are new to that team may choose from the remaining available numbers. The Soccer Center is able to removenumbersfromshirtsforasmallfee. In years where Lexington FC has ordered new uniforms for all players, the coordinators is responsible to provide a list of players names and their uniform numberstotheapprovedvendoratthebeginningofeachseason. Additional uniform pieces may be purchased from the approved vendor at the team price. Teams may purchase additional (different colors) shirts/shorts/socks with prior approval. Bags and warm-ups are also available butarenotmandatory. TeamRostersandPlayerCards Following the registration of your team with the appropriate forms and fees, the registrar will prepare a team roster. This roster will be given to the Coordinators of each team. Several copies should be made of the roster to have available throughout the season. Rosters are required when you are submitting entry forms to tournaments and applications to the respective leagues your team willapplyfor. Player cards will also be given to the coordinator. With the new on-line registration system, cards can be printed in entirety by the club registrar. Photos of each player can also be uploaded directly onto the players' cards. The coordinator will need to obtain a photograph of any player who does not provide apictureandshouldputitonthecard. Completed cards should then be laminated individually. You should consider punching a hole in the corner of each card and then placing the cards on a ring. You will need to have player cards at every game the team plays, including all tournaments. Your failure to have the cards at any game may result inaforfeit. 6

7 The player cards are presented to the referee at the start of each game in which your team participates to verify each player is a member of the team. It is criticaltoremembertopickupthecardsattheendofthematch. CoachesandCoordinatorCards Three coaches cards are allowed for each individual team. In order to stand on the sideline with the players during a game, the coaches and/or the coordinator must have a card. Pictures must be attached to these cards as well. In the event that a coach receives a red card during a match and is sent off, it may be necessary for the coordinator to fill in as acting coach until the completion of the game. A card is an absolute necessity in a case like this. If the team does not have a coach or coordinator that can be on the sidelines, the team mayhavetoforfeitthegame. TeamFinances Each team must appoint a team treasurer. The team treasurer cannot also serve as the team coordinator. The team treasurer should write all team checks. The coordinator should be listed as a signatory on the account in case ofemergencies. A checking account should be opened for the team at any Traditional Bank. Those checkbooks and accounts should be retained by the team year-to-year. Checksdonot,however,requiretwosignatures. A budget for the season must be prepared to include payment to referees for league and other home matches, tournament and league entry fees, coach s travel and tournament expenses, and other miscellaneous items. Most teams conduct fundraising projects and/or have an assessment to pay for these. The budgetmustbeprovidedtoeachparentontheteamforreviewandapproval. Team treasurers must keep accurate financial records of the team s expenses and revenues during each season. A final financial report must be submitted to Lexington FC and all members of the team at the end of each fall andspringseason. GameSchedule LFC teams have the option to play a number of different leagues, including but not limited to Kentucky Select Soccer League ( KSSL ), The Premier League ( TPL ), Buckeye Premier Youth Soccer League ( BPYSL ), The Kentucky Premier League ( KPL ) and Midwest Regional League ( MRL ). You should discuss with your coach and parents which league your team will play in. 7

8 Please check to each website, listed at the end of the handbook, for the entry requirements and application deadlines for each league. Each league has a different application process, so it is critical to make sure you check each often. If you have any questions about which league your team should play in, please discusswithyourcoachorthecoachingdirector. The KSSL is the only league that performs the scheduling for its teams. The KSSL is a non-profit corporation formed to enhance competitive soccer in Kentucky. It is governed by a five member Board of Directors which is elected annually. The KSSL is open to any U10 or older team registered with KYSA or an adjacent affiliated organization (i.e., Southern Indiana). Teams not located within the geographic area of the League may be admitted, but only with the understanding that they arrange for a home field within the League s area and pay all referees for those home games. The KSSL entry fee is $85.00 per season. Coordinators or their designees must arrange their game schedules with the Fields Assignor. A field number and location (Berea Road or Masterson Station) will be assigned once a date and time for the match has been established. It is imperative that the Coordinator the Fields Assignor immediately if a game must be changed in any way. Games that cancel with less then 72-hours notice will result in a charge to pay the assigned referees. You may get your field assignments by going to Scroll down to Coordinators Info, click, and follow the instructions. It is the responsibility of the Coordinatortocheckthescheduleforerrors/corrections Tournaments The U10 and older Lexington FC teams normally play 3-4 out-of-town tournaments throughout the year. Tournaments can be found on many different websites, including They may also be listed in Soccer America and at Prior to the beginning of the season, the Club may make suggestions or even require teams to attend certain tournaments. The coaches and coordinators may choose other tournaments. While the Coach should specify his/her preference for tournaments, the team has therighttovoteonwhichtournamentstoattend. All teams are required to play in any tournament hosted by Lexington FC. LexingtonFCteamsmayberequiredtopayanentrancefeetothetournament. General information: Early application often helps with acceptance. Make motel reservations as soon as you know you want to go to a tournament. Please note that some tournaments have required travel services you must use 8

9 to select your hotel. Other tournaments insist on a two or three-night minimum stay no matter when your games are scheduled. It is important to understand what the tournaments expect from you in this regard. As set forth herein, each team is responsible for paying for their coach s food, travel, and lodging for each eventyoumayattend. Any time your team is going to travel out-of-state, you are required to obtain a Permit to Travel. This document is available on-line at confirms the team has been granted permission to leave Kentucky for the purpose of playing games. Traveling without this permit can negate the insurance coverage provided by KYSA, and may result in additional sanctions. Travel Permits are not required for League games played in TPL, BPYSL or MRL. Further, the travel permit is not required if your team wins our StateorPresident'sCupandadvancestoRegionals. If you intend to invite teams from other states to play in a non-league game, you must obtain a Permit to Host. This is required for round robins, or scrimmages that your team is organizing. Permits to Host are also available from KYSA. Please see their website for a list of their requirements pertaining to thesepermits. The Coordinator or a designated parent should prepare tournament information and distribute it to all parents before leaving for the tournament. The information will include directions to the motel in the city where the team is staying,directionstothefields,andacopyofthetournamentschedule. Some tournaments allow a specified number of Guest Players to attend. Guest player forms may be obtained at Here are some guidelinestofollow: No player should be a guest player for another team if the team he/sheisregisteredtohasagamescheduledthatday. You must have a player card for each guest player. Since each player can only have one player card at a time, the card must be obtained from the coach of the player s primary team. If the player is a recreational player, you should check with his/her coach and make sure there is no problem. If you wish to take a player not currently involved in soccer, he/she must be registered with KYSA and insurance must be paid. Debbie Vogel can help with this. The cost is currently $18.20 per player and the Director of Coordinators cansignandstampthenecessarypaperwork. You will also need to obtain the birth certificate and medical release fromtheplayer'sprimaryteam. 9

10 KYSA StateCup,PresidentCupandtheSoccerVillageCup KYSA sponsors three state tournaments for teams playing in Select Soccer in the spring of each year. State Cup, is open to any U13 or older team playing in a KYSA Sanctioned league, and is usually held over the Memorial Day weekendatwithsemisandfinalsheldthefirstweekendinjune. StateCup President's Cup, also held in May, is designated for U13 and older teams that are not at the levels of the top teams in the state. There are rules governing whichteamsareeligible. PleasereviewtheeligibilityrulesontheKYSAwebsite. Winners of State Cup and Presidents Cup are required to attend a Regionaltournamentwhoselocationchangeseveryyear. There is also a tournament for U11 and 12 teams called the Soccer Village Cup. The Soccer Village Cup is also held in May. While the winners do not advance to Regionals, they are still considered to be State champions. This tournamentisalsoheldinlatemay. Every team intending to participate in the three state tournaments must belong to a league sanctioned by KYSA and must play a minimum of 4 games in that league. The Kentucky Select Soccer League (KSSL) is sanctioned. Please be sure to obtain the correct registration deadline for the tournaments. Your application must be filed on time if your team wishes to participate in these tournaments. Non-SanctionedTeams Games against non-usysa affiliated teams cannot be played at Berea Road or at Masterson. Non-sanctioned teams would include JV and Varsity high school teams and anybody else not registered with the Kentucky Youth Soccer Association. You must obtain permission to play against a non-usysa team. A formisavailableonlyatthekysaoffice;itmustbesignedbyakysaofficial. Coaches GuidelinesforTravelReimbursements: 1. VehicleExpenses: A. All Games outside Fayette County and the contiguous counties includingtournaments/showcases: Mileage is only paid to one coach when traveling. The exception is the Academy is allowed to pay two coaches. Coaches and assistant coaches can 10

11 travel separately, however only one coach will be paid mileage for league game reimbursements. Please note, the new rate is the actual cost of the gas used plus fifteen cents a mile. Coordinators and team treasurers should use the chart provided below to determine the travel distance and average mpg used to calculate the amount owed per trip. The reimbursement limit per season no longerexists. NOTE: Lexington FC also allows for the team and coach to utilize a Rental car instead of mileage. This arrangement would be beneficial to both parties if the trip would encompass a long distance (in excess of 4 hours). It may be less expensive to rent a car instead of paying mileage. If the team provides a rental car to the coach, the team is also responsible for gas purchased for the travel to and from the tournament. The Coach is responsible to provide his own liability 11

12 insurance for the rental of the vehicle, and any additional insurance coverage the coachelectstopurchasefromtherentalcompany. 2. FOODEXPENSES All coaches who are traveling outside Fayette County, or the contiguous counties, for League Games or Tournaments/ Showcases are entitled to receive the allotted amounts for food expenses. Each coach (head and assistant) shall be paid the following for food when traveling outside of Fayette County and the contiguousforcoachingduties: Breakfast: $7 Lunch: $10 Dinner: $18 Totalperday: $35 Note: If your team has paid for the coach s hotel room and the hotel provides breakfast, the Coach is expected to eat the provided breakfast and no payment forbreakfastshouldbemade. 3. HOTELEXPENSES Unless other arrangements have been made, hotel accommodations should be arranged and paid for by a team representative. The coach should not beaskedtopayforhis/herroomupfrontandthenbereimbursed. The general rule is the team is not responsible for the cost of an assistant s coach s hotel room. If the head coach and assistant coach are of the same sex, they are to share the same room. If the coaches are of separate sex, theteamisnotresponsibletopayfortheassistant shotelroom. The exception to the assistant coach rule is if the head coach has two teams in a tournament, and there is a potential for the assistant coach to have to coach a game, the team is not expected to pay for the hotel for the assistant coach. In the instance where the head coach has two teams, the team the assistant coach will serve as the head coach at a game will pay for the assistant s room and the other team shall pay for the head coach s room. In no instance will one team be required to pay for two hotel rooms for a coach and assistantcoach. The team may agree to pay for a hotel room for an assistant coach if it so desires. The coordinator should discuss this with the coach before the start of 12

13 the season to determine if the coach wants the assistant to come to tournaments. The Coordinator should then discuss with the team whether they want to pay that expense. Again, the team is not required to pay for the second room and the headcoachcannotrequiretheteamtodoso. Referees USSF certified referees are used for Lexington FC matches. The Lexington FC referee assignor will schedule referees for all matches. Quality referees are critical to competitive soccer. Abusive language directed toward a referee will not be tolerated. Parents and players are subject to discipline from the league and Lexington FC for abusive or improper behavior. The coordinator should see to it that the behavior of players, parents and coaches demonstrates goodsportsmanship. RefereeFeeInformation For teams playing in KSSL, referees will be paid by the LYSA Registrar. At the end of each KSSL season, your team will be billed for the amount paid on your behalf. Teams playing in the TPL, BPYSA, KPL, MRL, or National League will pay the referees on the field in accordance with the rules of the respective leagues. There must be three referees on each match in which your team participates at U10 and above. In the event that only one or two officials arrive by the start of your home game, it is mandatory that your team have someone volunteertotaketheplaceofthemissinglinesmen. The costs of the referees differ for each league. Please consult with the rules for the league your team will be playing in. In addition, the referee fees may change on an annual basis. It is therefore incumbent on the coordinator or teamaccountanttobefamiliarwiththecurrentfeestructure. TheKSSLFeesfortheyear forGrade8Refereeareasfollows: U9 $25.00-$30.00 RefereeOnly U10 $20.00-$25.00 AssistantReferee(2) $25.00-$30.00 Referee U11-12 $20.00-$25.00 AssistantReferee(2) $25.00-$30.00 Referee U13-14 $25.00-$30.00 AssistantReferee(2) $35.00-$40.00 Referee 13

14 U15-16 $35.00-$40.00 AssistantReferee(2) $40.00-$45.00 Referee U17-19 $35.00-$40.00 AssistantReferee(2) $45.00-$50.00 Referee Grade 4 (National) and Grade 5 (State I) Referees are paid an additional $15.00, Grade 6 Referees are paid an additional $10.00 and Grade 7 Referees are paid an additional $5.00 per game regardless if they are an AR or a Referee. Some teams prefer to use one center referee and two club linesmen for scrimmages. Therefereeispaidhis/herregularfeeplus$5ininstanceslikethis. For those playing in KSSL, your team will receive an invoice at the end of each season with your referee charges. This fee must be paid within ten days of receipt. RedCards Any player, parent, or coach ejected from a game is automatically suspended for at least the next regularly scheduled game. Any player or coach who receives two red cards during the seasonal year may be suspended for the remainderoftheyear. Coordinators are required to submit a written report to the Executive Committee in the event of any red card or game termination received by the team. Thisshouldbedonewithin48hoursoftheoffense. It is recommended that the Coordinator secure copies of the LFC Rules, the KYSA By-Laws and Rules, and the USSF Administrative Handbook and becomefamiliarwiththem. Fields Matches/Practice The primary Lexington FC fields are located in Masterson Station Park. Lexington FC also plays games adjacent to the Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research on Iron Works Pike at the intersection with Berea Road. These fields are often referred to as the Berea Road fields. They are primarily used for practices, but we also utilize the fields for tournaments and small-sided teams playmanyoftheirgamesthere. Coordinators are expected to communicate to players and parents the basicrequirementsfortheuseofourfields: Keepthegroundsclean 14

15 Parkonlyindesignatedparkingareas Usetheroadsdesignatedforsoccertraffic Do not trespass onto property/buildings that are not part of the leaseagreement Stayawayfromthefencesthatactasaboundaryforthefields. FieldandRefereeAssignments As discussed above, the KSSL is the only league that sets a schedule for its member teams. The coordinator will be responsible for scheduling games and venues in all other leagues. Upon receiving the KSSL schedule or before confirming any home game in the other leagues, you must have the games confirmed by the Lexington FC Field Assignor. The field assignor provides you with the location and number of the field on which you will be playing. The field assignor also must approve the time of the game in order to have a schedule which works for the referees. The field assignor is also the person who gives your schedule to the referee assignor for referee assignment. It is important to note that it is preferred that you not contact the referee assignor directly unless youarespecificallyinstructedtodoso. Other matches, such as those you may wish to schedule with Lexington FC teams in age groups other then your own, are usually handled by the Coordinator in conjunction with the coach. However, all games must be approvedbythefieldassignorassetforthabove. The schedule of Lexington FC home games is posted on the website and it is from there that you will learn which field you have been assigned to. It is up to you, the Coordinator or your designee, to check the ENTIRE season s schedule. It is the Coordinator s responsibility to confirm the accuracy of the posted schedule, and bring any errors to the field assignor s attention. If a game is scheduled incorrectly and referees show up to officiate the match, their fees will be charged to the team if the game is shown on the website schedule. This istruewhethertheinformationisincorrectornot. It is important to note that games must be cancelled with more then seventy-two hours notice or the team can be assessed to pay the assigned referees. ThisisaKSSLruleandisstrictlyobserved. PracticeFields We now use multiple fields, including but not limited to fields at Berea Rd., the Lexington School and Sayre as practice sites for our teams. Teams will be asked if they wish to use the fields and if so, on what days. M-W or T-Th are preferred. If necessary, two teams will be assigned to one field. Teams will be 15

16 assessed a fee for using the fields provided by Lexington FC. dependonwhichfieldlocationisused. The fee will The team has the right to secure its own practice field. Lexington FC can provide proof of insurance to the owner of the field. The team shall bear the entirecostofrentalforafieldotherthanthoseleasedbylexingtonfc. Coaches The Coaching Director, Parviz Zartoshty, is responsible for selecting coaches for all Lexington FC teams. The Coaching Director is also the only individualwhocanassignanassistantcoachtoateam. The Coordinator should not attempt to serve as intermediary between members of the team and the coach to resolve any disputes. Rather, the coordinator should advise any parent or player that has a complaint or problem to talkdirectlytothecoachorcontactthecoachingdirector. The Coordinator is responsible for setting up a meeting at the beginning of each season when the coach will explain his/her rules, expectations, etc. If a problem arises during the season, the coach may wish to have the Coordinator arrangeameetingwiththeparentsandplayer. FirstAidandEmergencyProcedures Each coordinator should maintain an adequate first aid kit. The kit should be available at all games. It is advisable that coaches maintain a kit that will be available at practice sessions also. First aid supplies may include: tape, bandages, wraps, gauze, splints, antiseptic cream, sun block, scissors, etc. Coordinators should also know where the nearest medical treatment center is located in relation to practice and/or match fields and how to reach emergency andlawenforcementpersonnel. ConcussionPolicy Lexington FC has adopted the following concussion policy. The Club recognizes the severe threat a concussion has to a player s health. The Policy was designed to err on the side of caution and to remove any judgment call being madefromcoachesorparents. Rule One: Coaches, referees, or officials must remove from play an athlete exhibitingthesignsandsymptomsofaconcussion duringpracticeoragame. 16

17 Rule Two: The athlete cannot return to play on the same day that he or she is removed after exhibiting symptoms of a concussion regardless of whether there isasecondgamelaterthatday. Rule Three: The athlete is not permitted to return to game or practice until he or she has been assessed by a physician or licensed health care provider and received written clearance. Players must be able to produce evidence of compliance with this obligation, which may require the team manager to retain the written clearance form and/or otherwise demonstrate that the Coach verified thattheathlete wasclearedtoreturntoplay. RuleFour: Any player that violates this rule and either fails to report a concussion or returns to practice or play before he/she is cleared by a physician or licensed health care provider may result in suspension by the Executive Committee. Any coach that violates this rule by allowing a player to return to practice or play before he/she is cleared by a physician or licensed health care providermaybesuspendedbythedirectorofcoaching. SevereWeatherPolicy The Executive Committee of Lexington FC has approved the following guidelines for all games and practices. These guidelines MUST be followed. Thereisazerotolerancepolicywithregardstoanyviolationsofthispolicy. It is the responsibility of all referees involved in the officiating of Lexington FC home games, and all Lexington FC coaches conducting practices and/or scrimmage games to immediately terminate activities when lightning is seen or thunderisheard. Whenactivitiesareterminatedbytherefereeorcoach: (1) Players will be directed to immediately leave the field and proceed in an orderly fashion to their vehicle or other designated safe location. Players should notstoptogatherbelongings. (2) It is the responsibility of the coach to ensure that all members of the team are accountedforandmovedtoasafeplace. (3) All Lexington FC parents and guests shall also immediately leave the field andproceedtotheirvehicles. (4) If it is anticipated that the severe weather will pass, the referee or coach may give direction to resume activities no sooner than thirty (30) minutes after the last sightingoflightningorthelastsoundofthunder. 17

18 (5) RefereesviolatingthispolicyshallnotbeassignedtoLexingtonFCgames. (6) Coachesviolatingthispolicyshallbesuspended. It is recommended that the Coordinator review the rules of the league your team is playing in to be aware of the impact of weather delay. For instance, many leagues do not count a game as official until after the first half has ended, and gamesterminatedinthefirsthalfmustbereplayed. TeamTasks The Coordinator may delegate a number of tasks that will be helpful to the efficient administration of the team. This not only helps to have a team that functions smoothly, but it also allows the parents to feel that they have involvementinlexingtonfcandintheirchild steam. Thesetasksinclude: Teamfinances Monitoringparkingandtrashclean-upatmatches Teambench Firstaidkit Travelarrangements/motelreservations(itiswisetoobtaincredit cardnumbersfromyourparentsatthefirstteammeeting) Socialactivities,e.g.,teampicnic Canopyforrainyorextremelyhot-sunnyweather CoordinatingtheSoccerSavesactivities SoccerScores:LFCGivesBack The Lexington FC Executive Committee has approved a new initiative by requiring each team to participate in a service based project. This program is called Soccer Scores. Soccer Scores will allow our children, in age appropriate ways, to see the needs of our friends and neighbors, as well as allow our teams and club to build stronger and closer bonds doing community service projectstogether. Herearethedetails: Each team will be required to complete one 2 hour project per year (not season). Teams may work as an age group or individually, depending on the size of theproject. 18

19 Projects should require time and service. They may not include money or fundraising. TeamsshouldweartheirLFCuniformwhiledoingtheirservice. A project application must be submitted for each team, at least one week prior to the project. Copies of the application can be downloaded from the lexingtonfc.orgwebsite. Each project will be reviewed by the Community Relations Committee to ensure that it is age appropriate and safe. This will also allow the club to be aware of all localorganizationsbeingserved. A list of suggested organizations and projects is also available to get help you get started. The Community Relations Committee is also happy to help match a team withaproject.welookforwardtoseeingthelistgrowasnewideasareadded! Insurance Following registration, each player is enrolled in the insurance program provided through KYSA. This is secondary insurance. A player is enrolled only once for the seasonal year. (A player registered in the Fall is covered through August 31 of the next year.) Claim forms are available from the KYSA Office. The phone number is LFC does not process claims. This must be donebytheparentoftheinjuredchildthroughkysa. Communications It is imperative that the Coordinator immediately establish a way to get information to players/parents quickly and efficiently. While is wonderful for sending out instructions, etc., it is also wise to have an operating phone tree. This is particularly important if bad weather necessitates the cancellation of practices late in the day. Ask the parents to provide home, work, and cell phone numbers if they are available, along with addresses. Texting and tweeting alsoworkwell. Parent meetings are essential. A meeting at the beginning of the season to make plans for team activities is helpful. Brief meetings during practice sessions work well, too, when decisions need to be made or information needs to beshared. SponsorsandFundraising 19

20 Lexington FC teams may secure financial assistance from others to help defray the costs not covered by the registration fee. Any sponsorships or fundraising options must be approved by the Executive Committee. Approval shall be granted for one season only. If a team wants to continue a fund raiser for the next season, they must re-apply for approval from the Executive Committee. Team sponsors may not be identified or placed on the Lexington FC uniforms. Fundraising projects that teams frequently use include: Kroger cards, car washes,garagesales,concessions,raffles,andcandysales. Lexington FC also reserves the right to conduct fundraisers during the yearandrequireparticipationbyallclubplayers. CommitmentandTeamOperation As set forth in Lexington FC s Rules and Bylaws, player commitment is importanttothesuccessofourteams. LexingtonFChasenactedthefollowingRulesregardingplayercommitment: 7.1 Players must be prepared to make a major commitment to soccer. They must be committed to attending all practices and games unless there are good reasons for the absence. Given the club focus on teaching, practices are viewed as equally important as games. Players who miss practices may lose playing time. At the discretion of coaches and by prior arrangement, players may participate in other sports or competitive activities subject to the followingguidelines: a. A soccer game shall take precedence over a game or eventinanothersportorcompetitiveactivity. b. A soccer practice shall take precedence over a practice foranothersportorcompetitiveactivity. Lexington FC understands that especially for U-14 and younger age groups that children may want to play other sports and have other activities outside of soccer. Lexington F.C. strives to be more flexible for this young age group concerning this policy. Concerns with a coach s adherence to this policy should be directed to the DirectorofCoaching. 20

21 7.2 Scheduled school and faith-related events are an exception to paragraph 7.1 (a) and (b) above. For school and faith-related events, the player will furnish the coach and team coordinator a schedule (when possible) and must notify the coach of the intent to missteampractices/gamesinadvanceofeachoccasion. Coordinator snotebook TheCoordinatorshouldprepareawaterproofthree-ringbindernotebook containingthefollowing: Copiesofbirthcertificates Proofoflegalresidenceforforeignplayers Travelpermits Medicalreleaseforms Teamrosters Parent/playernames,addresses,andphonenumbers ThisHandbook ImportantWebsites 1. KYSA: 2. LFC: 3. LYSA: 4. KSSL: 5. BYPSL: 6. MRL: 21

22 LexingtonFCParentsCodeofConduct IwillrememberthatYouthSoccerisforyouth-notadults. Iwilldomyverybesttomakesoccerfunformychild. Iwillplacetheemotionalandphysicalwellbeingofmychildaheadof mypersonaldesiretowin. Iwillteachmychildthatdoingone sbestisasimportantaswinning. In thiswaymychildwillneverfeeldefeatedbytheoutcomeofagame. Iwillencouragegoodsportsmanshipbydemonstratingpositivesupport forallplayers,coaches,andofficialsateverygame,practiceorother relatedevent. Iwillrefrainfrommakingnegativeremarkstoreferees, myownteam'splayers,opposingplayers,oropposingfans. Iwillaskmychildtotreatotherplayers,coaches,fansandofficialswith respect. Iwillinsistthatmychildplayinasafeandhealthyenvironment. Iwillexpectthatmychild scoachbefamiliarwithandupholdsthe Coaches CodeofConduct. Iwillrespectandsupportcoachesandofficialsworkingwithmychild, inordertoprovideanenjoyableexperienceforall. Iwillmaintaina positiveattitudeandprovideassistancetotheteamwheneverneeded. 22

23 LYSAPositiononNutrition,SupplementsandPerformance-enhancing Substances 1. NutritionchoicesareexclusivelyfamilydecisionsinwhichLYSA (coaches,trainers,administrators&staff)willnotassumeany involvement,excepttoeducateonappropriatehydrationandappropriate safeeatingpracticespriortogamesorpractices. 2. LYSA(coaches,trainers,administrators&staff)willnotdirectlyor indirectlyrequire,suggest,promoteoradvocatenutritionalsupplements ofanysort,andwillcounselthatsafetyissuescouldresultwhen supplementsareusedincombinationwithextreme,unusualorstressing physicalactivity. Asaconsequenceofthisposition,LYSAalsoprohibits it scoaches,trainers,administrators&stafffromengaginginany opportunisticintroductionofsupplementsthroughnon-lysaagents, literatureorinformation. 3. Theuseofperformance-enhancingsubstance(s)willnotbetolerated byplayerswithinthelexingtonyouthsoccerassociation. Similarly, arrangingtheavailabilityofperformance-enhancingsubstancesby dispensingorbydirection(s)willnotbetoleratedbylysaplayers, coaches,trainers,administratorsorstaff. LYSAplayersaretobe developedinadrug-freeenvironment. DEVIATION(S) FROM THIS POLICY WILL BE GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL, INELIGIBILITY OR BANNED PARTICIPATION AS DECIDED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LEXINGTON YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION. 23

24 TeamInformation Each Coordinator shall submit the following information by to the DirectorofCoordinators. 1. TeamInfo a. TeamNameandagegroup.Forexample:98GirlsRed U17 b. Coach: 2. Coordinator: a. Name b. Cellphone c. 3. Treasurer a. Name b. CellPhone c. 4. Leagueyouareplayingin 5. Practice a. Nameandaddressofpracticefield b. Nightsyouarepracticing 24

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